Well, Will, I think some of us who like music that isn't purely traditional still feel like second-class citizens around here. We don't get blasted with long tirades like we used to, but our discussion of songs like those of Steve Goodman is still viewed in a condescending manner; and then we get the feeling that if we MUST talk about Steve Goodman, we should at least be circumspect and apologetic about it. I cringe every time somebody wishes Elsie would come back, because Elsie would self-righteously jump all over anybody who dared to post a message that didn't fit her definition of folk music. She went after me many times, and I'm still a bit shellshocked.
My thinking is that if we say we like folk music, whatever our definition of folk music is, then we should be able to feel at home here. If we call ourselves folkies and we're here and we want to talk about a song, no matter what that song might be, we shouldn't have to go elsewhere. Alex was right to get angry. He asked for information about a song, and nobody should have rudely put him down for that. I think this forum is much nicer when NOBODY is excluded. Generally, it is that way, but sometimes we have to gripe a bit when the excluders get nasty.
-Joe Offer-